The present invention relates to powering a peripheral device from power supplied by a computer and, more particularly, to recharging batteries located within the peripheral device from power supplied by a data connection between the peripheral device and the computer.
Computer systems generally have a processor, such as a desktop or laptop computer, with a plurality of peripheral devices electrically connected to the processor. For example, a monitor, a printer, speakers, a scanner, and other devices may be electrically connected to the processor. Many of these peripheral devices are powered from conventional electrical wall outlets. Wall outlets are typically arranged in pairs at different locations within a room. Thus, in order to supply electric power to the computer system, power cords must extend between several wall outlets located throughout a room and the computer system. Alternatively, an adapter having outlets may be mounted in a wall outlet and the multiple different power cords of the computer system may be connected to it. In either case, numerous power cords must be employed, creating a chaotic array of wires in the vicinity the computer system.
The voltages and frequencies of power supplied by wall outlets differ between countries. In addition plug configurations for wall outlets differ between countries. For example, the voltage, frequency and plug configuration of wall outlets in a first country may all differ from the voltage, frequency and plug configuration of wall outlets in a second country. These differences cause peripheral device manufacturers to supply different power cords for use in different countries, which substantially increases production costs. Furthermore, power supplies which are internal to the peripheral device must be changed to accommodate the different voltages and frequencies or designed, at additional expense, so that a single power supply can accommodate the different voltages and frequencies.
A need exists for a peripheral device that overcomes some or all of these problems.
The present invention is directed toward a peripheral device that is powered by a data cable electrically connecting the peripheral device to a processor, such as a desktop or laptop computer. The data cable supplies electric power to the peripheral device in addition to providing data communications between the peripheral device and the processor. The peripheral device may additionally be powered by internal, rechargeable batteries which may be recharged by the power supplied by the data cable. Both the batteries and the data cable may serve to supply power to operate the peripheral device. In the alternative, the batteries alone may supply power to operate the peripheral device or the power supplied by the data cable alone may be used to operate the device. The charged batteries may be adapted to supply more electric power than supplied by the data cable. This additional power enables the operation of a relatively high power consuming peripheral device by using a relatively low power supplying data cable.
The use of a power supplying data cable and rechargeable batteries alleviates the need for the peripheral device to be electrically connected to a wall outlet. Therefore, only the above-described data cable needs to extend from the peripheral device, eliminating many electrical cords in a computer system having multiple peripheral devices. The rechargeable batteries also permit an otherwise non-portable peripheral device to become somewhat portable. For example, a peripheral device may be electrically connected to a laptop computer, wherein both are operated by their respective batteries and not by power supplied by a conventional wall outlet. Furthermore, the charged batteries of a peripheral device may enable the peripheral device to be entirely disconnected from the charging data cable for short term operations in a stand-alone mode. In addition to the above described battery charging by way of the data cable, the battery may be charged by an optional external connection to a wall outlet.